jsloan

If your PQDs are at $18K / 100K PQMs, your RDM earnings are basically unaffected. That's right around the equilibrium between the old and new systems.

goodeats21

Actually, RDMs are a goal for many flyers. Not everyone has the same goals in this fun little game.


Thanks. I figured as much based on my gut feeling, but nice to have validation.

BH62

If you have some flexibility for travel dates, 1K miles & PQD can be met via 4 TPAC RTs using well-selected P fares taking advantage of the 2x PQM bonus.

Azmordean

I think lead time plays in. On my recent work trip to Asia, I spent a week each in Tokyo and Singapore. I booked several months in advance, and was able to get SJC - TOK - SIN - SFO for $4200, in business on all legs. SJC-NRT and HND-SIN were both on ANA, and SIN-SFO was the non-stop on UA. All booked through .bomb so I got full PQD. This one trip powered me to Gold from Silver.

The other thing I find, is Asia J is way more competitive than Europe J. I used to support Europe, and could never get anything above Premium Econ on my work trips to London with our travel policy. The prices for Y / Prem Y / J would be like 900/1400/5500 - the premium for J was insane.

To the OPs point, I do agree United's "016 or no PQD" thing is very annoying. A lot of partners don't show up in .bomb directly, and those that do, often price strangely. For example, normally on my Asia trip, I'd probably have booked Prem Econ for the shorter HND-SIN leg, but UA couldn't handle that. It also tended to randomly price only refundable fares and do other weird things. So even for partners like ANA that should be fully bookable through .bomb it doesn't always work properly.

As far as Premium Econ, UA can't handle it because they don't offer it -- it doesn't exist in their system as a cabin type, so it can't price, at least not on .bomb. Might work over the phone.

chipmaster

Love all them flying for companies with deep pockets that enable them scoring PQD easily. I'm not so lucky I'll likely squeeze in doing economy long haul. Crazy the value I got 1251 miles and $139 PQD on a 6168 PQM flight.

Currently at 158K+ PQM, 39 Segments, and a whopping $10,651, but still a long runway with another 5 trips on UA and 2 more on AC

Tall Paul

I don’t know, I try to fly only every other week but most of my flights are transcon so I get significant PQM. And while SEA-FLL is cheap, GEG-PWM isn’t. Most years I qualify on both PQM and PQS.

Hard was being a CFO in the construction industry during the recession.

Artpen100

Good point, though with a transcon you are getting more similar to a TATL like EWR - LHR. I was thinking of what it would be like to make it on ERJ-175 short hauls like IAD-BNA.

timfountain

Nah, that would hurt people like me who have a large mix of both domestic and international activity! Also if 1K's get GPU's we'll be pushing domestic 1K's when connecting to an international flight....

WineCountryUA

For those that wonder how some make the PQD thresholds,
UA reports it "Average yield per revenue passenger mile" is in the 15-16 cpm range.

Now, 1Ks are at least 100,000 PQMs, but doubt the average 1K is much below 75,000 BIS miles and many are much more. So if the average 1K revenue yield is 15 cpm or higher, the $12K PQD is not that much of an issue.

It is an issue for those who personal revenue yields are lower than the average.

MSPeconomist

Depending on where you're located, a TPAC RT can be far more than 12,500 actual miles. For most people, this shouldn't require four RTs if 200% status miles are earned.

kilo

Obviously achieving the PQD requirement for 1K is not that hard for some. What I've always wondered is how easy it is to achieve for those with little or no work related travel.

Are there only a handful of US based IKs who have achieved 1K on personal spend?

exerda

I suspect it's a fair bit more than a handful. I get it doing a trip a month on average, in paid F domestically and usually W + GPU internationally.

Yes, I'm lucky that I have that kind of disposable income. But I also don't feel like I'm that unique.

FlyfromDenver

I have a few business trips - all domestic. They have probably helped more on PQD. I hit 1K for this year by ending last year flying to Auckland for vacation. This year I have had a couple of international trips for fun(hard to pass up DEN AMS RT for 441) and will again hit it by ending the year flying to AKL on 12/29.

One difference for me is that I am single so it's far less of a deal to buy one tickets for all my travels. Tomorrow I head back to Denver from London via SFO - can't remember why but either the price was better or I wanted the extra miles. Bought W and felt a bit stupid but managed GPU upgrades both ways.

Jimmie Jet

I travel LAX-MEL 7-8 times per year and have successfully ran out of GPU , I end up buying business tickets to make up the difference and then thats enough miles to start the entire process over again. I'll hit the 1K dec flying back to LAX and make the status for 2018. I think it puts me at 103K and change

I just looked I have
PQM 92,211
PQS 23

So I'll have
PQM 101,876 after the last MEL-LAX (9665miles) leg in December

Last year kind of same schedule ended up with
PQM 106,086
PQS 21

itsMoe

I don't understand your reasoning here. You go from "I can't earn PQD on a Premium Eco ticket on this airline" to "therefore, it's impossible that someone can spend enough money on UA to earn 1K". There are many ways:

• Lots of domestic flights in Y
• Lots of international flights in Y on UA or partners, on 016 stock
• Fewer domestic flights in F
• Just a handful of international trips in C on UA or partners, on 016 stock
• A mixture of the above

My PQD for this year will end up being around 20k or so, mostly UA Q fares internationally on a variety of UA and partner metal, plus a bunch of Q and P fares domestically.

Also, have you looked at pricing lately? I haven't done a round trip to Europe for less than $1800 in months. That's a lot of PQD.